Damontre Moore earns more playing time

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Giants rookie defensive end Damontre Moore played 17 snaps on defense in Sunday's victory over the Redskins -- "some good, some bad," according to defensive coordinator Perry Fewell. But with Jason Pierre-Paul still sidelined due to a shoulder injury, Moore can expect his workload to increase a bit Sunday in San Diego.

Moore

"We'll try to increase him a little bit more," Fewell said Thursday.

Moore was the Giants' third-round draft pick this year, and when they picked him they believed he was the kind of player who could contribute to the pass rush as a rookie. But while he's certainly made his mark on special teams as a blocker of punts, Moore has had trouble cracking the lineup on defense. A shoulder injury during training camp set back his progress, but the team is still high on him, and not just as a situational pass-rusher.

"He's a complete football player," Fewell said. "He's got to be able to play the run and the pass. So we'll use him as both."

It seemed Sunday as though the role Moore played was as a third-down pass-rusher, with Justin Tuck moving inside to defensive tackle. Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka each played every defensive snap, and it's likely the Giants' coaching staff would want to be able to get the veterans more rest than that in the final four games of the season. More work for Moore seems like the only way to do that.